This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. P99-6891, filed on Mar. 3, 1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This invention relates to a mobile communication system and more particularly to a method of managing mobile station operational parameters in the mobile communication system. In the present invention, the mobile station operational parameters are managed such that a mutual authentication between a mobile station and a network can be performed while maintaining the same number of operational parameter updating.
Mobile communication networks based on cellular or personal communication system (PCS) have been expanding due to the rapid development in the information and communication field. Accordingly, various functions of the mobile communication networks have been continuously upgraded to provide a more convenient communication service to subscribers.
To upgrade specific functions on the network, a network manager must change both programs and operational parameters installed in communication apparatus such as a base station (BS), a base station controller (BSC), a mobile switching center (MSC), a home/visitor location register (HLR/VLR), and authentication center. Moreover, the network manager must also change specific parameters in each mobile stations. However, to change specific parameters in a mobile station, the mobile station must be either physically connected to a system enabled to change such parameters or a user must manually and appropriately operate the keypad of the mobile station.
Therefore, a technology which allows changing of specific parameters of the mobile station by wireless communication has been developed, known as the Over-The-Air Parameter Administration (OTAPA). The OTAPA is disclosed in IS-725-A, pp. 1-19 and 3-75 to 3-78, Apr. 13, 1999 or the PCT application No WO 98/41044 by Northern Telecom Inc., fully incorporated herein.
According to the IS-725-A, an authentication procedure for a communication network is included in the OTAPA process such that a mobile station may confirm whether the network is correct, but an authentication procedure for a mobile station is not included. As a result, a person may illegally change the specific parameters of a mobile station and receive illegal communication service, thereby affecting the overall service to the authorized users, i.e. mobile stations, of a network. Therefore, the reliability of the management system for authorized users of a network may be dropped, and the quality of service may also decline.
Although the network may first perform an authentication procedure of a mobile stations before the OTAPA process, if the authentication procedure of the mobile station is performed independently, the entire OTAPA process will be elongated. Moreover, a separate authentication procedure must be added, thereby increasing the load in a communication network.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve at least the problems and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to allow a management which can perform a mutual authentication between a mobile station and a network.
A further object of the present invention is to allow a management which can perform a mutual authentication between a mobile station and a network while maintaining the same number of mobile station operational parameter updating procedure as in the conventional procedure.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a method of managing mobile station operational parameters in a wireless communication network comprises the notifying a mobile station that an update of the mobile station operational parameters has been initiated upon an update request from the mobile station; performing a mutual authentication procedure between the mobile station and a network; transmitting from the network, at least one mobile station operational parameter to the mobile station; and receiving and updating the corresponding mobile station operational parameters at the mobile station.
The mutual authentication may further comprise generating and transmitting from the network, a first random number to the mobile station, and generating a first authentication utilizing the first random number; generating at the mobile station, a second authentication utilizing the first random number and a second random number, and transmitting to the network the second random number with the second authentication, and then generating a third authentication utilizing the second random number; comparing at the network, the second authentication with the first authentication and authenticating the mobile station; generating at the network, a fourth authentication unitizing the second random number when the first authentication and the second authentication are equivalent, and transmitting the fourth authentication to the mobile station; comparing at the mobile station, the third authentication with the fourth authentication and authenticating the network in accordance with the results of the comparison.
Also, the mutual authentication may further comprise generating and transmitting, at the mobile station, a third random number to the mobile station, and generating a fifth authentication utilizing the third random number; generating, at the network, a sixth authentication utilizing the third random number and a fourth random number, and transmitting the fourth random number with the sixth authentication to the mobile station, and then generating a seventh authentication utilizing the fourth random number; comparing, at the mobile station, the fifth authentication with the sixth authentication and authenticating, at the mobile station, the network in accordance with the comparison result; generating, at the mobile station, an eighth authentication unitizing the fourth random number when the fifth authentication and the sixth authentication are equivalent, and transmitting the eighth authentication to the network; comparing, at the network, the seventh authentication with the eighth authentication and authenticating the mobile station in accordance with the comparison results.